What's under the hood?

[GoodGuy]

Ok, the topic says it all, I'd like to know how the enemy AI is handling resources in COTA.
Means, what procedures regarding movement/operations are being used for troop deployment? I know that troops are being assigned according to objective-priorities/VPs, but how am I supposed to envisage troop allocation? Does it (AI) assign troops on a Bn level, or does it "only" assign troops in terms of allocating a certain percentage of the troops (according to obj. priorities), even if that would mean that organic formations (Bns/Bdes) would have to be split/detached?
When I tested the custom HttR-scenario I made, I figured that the enemy AI used to assign a Bn to a vital objective (e.g. City, while assigning only 1-3 independent companies to a vital airfield).

Is the enemy AI (non-player-AI) able to send single AA units/AT units to cover/block routes? Would it detach mortar units and place 'em accordingly to cover/bombard vital spots?

In HttR (Hist. Arnheim scenario) for example, german enemy units (joining the frey later on - on the south river bank), could be seen trying to rejoin the bulk force, even if it would have to use ferries, cross heavily defended rail bridges or pass an entire Bde, in order to accomplish that task.

Therefore it would be interesting if the enemy AI would be able to build real-time Kampfgruppen (Battle Groups), just like the German Army did, back in WWII. Means, that it would be able to concentrate troops joining the fray, and then send it to certain objectives, and, even better, forming new KGs using depleted/retreating troops. It would be nice to see something like that, it would rock for what-if/fictional scenarios, at least.

If one or another function's already implemented, then bear with me, I still haven't read each and every part in these massive manuals. [:D]

Thanks in advance for any info.

[wodin]

Somethings I'd rather just leave to my imagination;)

[GoodGuy]

Not at all. It's interesting to know, from a mapper's POV. Also, if such things can't be implement, it would rock if new types of objectives (ScenMaker) would be added in the next installment: I could imagine to have a "block" (placing AT/hvy weapons on vital crossroads) -task or even better, a "delay"-task for the NP-AI. Additionally, an AI-task to cut/occupy/hold the player's supply lines, would be neat too. You could create thrilling scenarios that way. I'd like to know whether SEPs can be seen by the enemy-AI or not.

[MarkShot]

I do not know if the AI uses the full spectrum of mechanics available in the game to the player. It does seem common in many complex games that the AI only uses a subset.

Regarding supply line awareness. I addressed this in the Mini-Guide. Quickly: The AI is not aware in COTA, but may be in the future. A "trail of bread crumbs" approach is used with low value objectives to simulate supply lines in the scenarios which generally gets the job done indirectly for the AI. If I was playing a human, I would be more careful with supply lines than against the AI.

[Banquet]

That's scary because the AI has successfully caught my main supply route at least once in all my games so far.